Gold Coast SUNS Head of Development Matthew Lappin spoke to SUNS TV about the performance of the club’s first-year players in season 2016.

Callum Ah Chee

Drafted: 2015 NAB AFL Draft, 1st round selection, No. 8 overall
2016 Senior Games: 16
2016 NEAFL Games: 1
AFL Debut: Round 1 v Essendon

He had a really terrific first season. Was thrown in early and he continued to play throughout the season.

We had a lot of injuries obviously, which allowed him to stay in the senior team a fair bit.

But it’s invaluable experience for him and he more than held his own at that level so he continued to develop throughout the season and we’re really pleased with the steps he made this year.

Brayden Fiorini

Drafted: 2015 NAB AFL Draft, 1st round selection, No. 20 overall
2016 Senior Games: 2
2016 NEAFL Games: 7
AFL Debut: Round 22 v Collingwood

Obviously he excited everyone with that last game.

He got injured but his NEAFL form was terrific, he was really a dominant player as an 18-year-old at that level and then to see him do it at AFL level in the last game, I think it gave a lot of us great hope.

It’s really going to set him up for a strong pre-season. He understands the level now and he knows that he can play at that level but obviously the challenges are going to come a lot harder for him over the pre-season but we’re looking forward to him responding and having a good pre-season setting up his second season.

Josh Schoenfeld

Drafted: 2015 NAB AFL Draft, 2nd round selection, No. 34 overall
2016 Senior Games: 4
2016 NEAFL Games: 12
AFL Debut: Round 18 v Fremantle

He had a really solid season at NEAFL and played at a consistent level. He’s a real role player, Josh.

He come from a long way back so we were really pleased with his year in terms of his development and the way he handled himself at AFL level.

He got a little bit tired towards the end of the year because he’s an elite runner, he’s our best GPS runner at the club and at 18 years of age I think that took a toll on him but he’s another one who will freshen up over the break and then come back and reload next year.

Mackenzie Willis

Drafted: 2015 NAB AFL Draft, 3rd round selection, No. 52 overall
2016 Senior Games: 3
2016 NEAFL Games: 16
AFL Debut: Round 6 v Geelong

Had some good, solid early season form and found his way into the senior team and then just tapered off and got a little bit tired as the season went on.

He’s another one who needs the break and then expect him to really launch into the pre-season to give himself his best chance next year.

Darcy Macpherson

Drafted: 2015 NAB AFL Rookie Draft, pick No. 21 overall
2016 Senior Games: 4
2016 NEAFL Games: 8
AFL Debut: Round 7 v Melbourne

Everyone loves what Darcy brings to our footy club in terms of his intensity and his effort and he’s a quality person around the club as well.

So we were really happy to see him get his chance early in the season. Unfortunately injured but fought his way back into the seniors in the last couple of games of the season so that sets him up well for a break and a really solid pre-season.

Jesse Joyce

Drafted: 2015 NAB AFL Rookie Draft, pick No. 67 overall
2016 Senior Games: 11
2016 NEAFL Games: 7
AFL Debut: Round 11 v Sydney

His development was terrific. Last year we saw great development with him as an Academy player in our NEAFL program and after another solid pre-season he continued to develop his body and his ability to run, his ability to contest and his ability to use the ball really well at AFL level.

So it was a great learning year for Jesse. Obviously with injuries his opportunity came and I think he played 11 or 12 games so we’d expect with a full side he’s going to have to fight harder for his position and we think he’s got a really good base to do that now.